Objects to be weighed, such as detergents and confectionary, which have been weighed to have specified weight by a combination weigher, are typically packaged by a packaging machine. An example of such a combination weigher which weighs the objects to be weighed includes weighing hoppers arranged in a straight-line shape as shown in FIG. 15 (see for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Sho. 58-161829).
FIG. 15(a) is a schematic view of a conventional combination weigher as viewed from above and FIG. 15(b) is a schematic view of the combination weigher as viewed from the front.
The combination weigher includes a plurality of feeding hoppers 3 and a plurality of weighing hoppers 4 which are arranged in a straight-line shape, and a collecting chute 6 located therebelow, and is configured such that a control unit 30 controls an operation of the entire combination weigher and performs combination calculation. The feeding hopper 3 is supplied with the objects to be weighed from a means which is not shown, and feeds the objects to be weighed to the weighing hopper 4 located therebelow when the weighing hopper 4 becomes empty. The weighing hopper 4 is attached with a weight sensor such as a load cell. The weight sensor measures the weight of the objects to be weighed inside the weighing hopper 4 and sends a measured value to the control unit 30. The control unit 30 performs combination calculation based on the weight values of the objects to be weighed inside the weighing hoppers 4 to select a combination made up of hoppers which will discharge the objects to be weighed, from the plurality of weighing hoppers 4. The weighing hoppers 4 selected to make up of the combination discharge the objects to be weighed onto the collecting chute 6. The objects to be weighed which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers 4 slide down on the collecting chute 6 and are discharged from a discharge outlet at a bottom part of the collecting chute 6. The objects to be weighed are sent out to, for example, a packaging machine which is not shown. While manufacturing package bags, the packaging machine charges into the package bags the objects to be weighed which have been discharged from the combination weigher, and packages them.
There is a combination weigher in which a belt conveyor replaces the collecting chute 6 in the configuration of FIG. 15 (see for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application Publication No. Hei. 5-016928). In this configuration, the objects to be weighed which have been discharged from the weighing hoppers 4 are put on the belt conveyor and are conveyed in one direction. The objects to be weighed are fed from the belt conveyor to, for example, a packaging machine disposed at an end portion of the belt conveyor in a direction in which the objects to be weighed are conveyed, and are packaged there.